Cooking with Altitude

Life

2011-06-27T22:55:00.003-06:00

Oh how we take life for granted. Everything is going along great then WHAM! you are hit with devastating news. I know I've mentioned it before but I'll do it again--I have an amazing group of friends that I met online about eleven years ago when I was pregnant with Kinsey. I didn't post much to our group when I was pregnant but read every day. After I had Kinsey, I had so many questions and it was amazing to have people who were going through the same things to talk to. Now that we have ten year olds, we don't post to our group board as much but are still involved through Facebook. I have met about fifteen of these woman and wish with all my heart I could meet a lot more!

Recently, one of our Mommies found out that her husband has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and has less than a year to live. He is Neal's age--I think that is what has hit me the hardest-he is MY husband's age. I feel just horrible for this Mommy because she has had a lot of loss in her life and her husband has been her rock--the one who has stood by her and supported her the whole time. They are such a great couple. His wish is that they can go to Disney World before he gets to sick so he can make memories with his wife and four kids. Through a few emails among our group, we have managed to raise an amount that will help them achieve that dream. I know it won't be enough to pay for the whole trip but they won't have to worry as much about money on this trip.

I love this group of ladies. We have been together through so much. We've had "fake" people on our board and thank goodness have weeded those people out. Our core group of ladies are so wonderful. I know if I ever needed anything they would be there for me and I will be there for them. Love you March Mommies!!

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.

2011-03-31T22:52:00.002-06:00

Neal and I would like to travel to as many National Parks as we could go to. We've been to a few but our big goal is Yellowstone National Park.

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

2011-03-28T16:22:00.003-06:00

My Mama and Daddy

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist

2011-03-07T10:48:00.004-07:00

Brad Paisley

Trace Adkins

It's hard for me to pick just one artist or band because I like so many different people for different reasons and songs that they sing. These are two of my current favorite and two that I have seen in concert.

Day 12 - A picture of something you love

2011-02-28T10:38:00.003-07:00

Books! Books! Books!

This is just one of my bookcases. This one is double stacked with paperbacks (2 rows). I buy them at the library when they have book sales. My favorite sale is when they give you a plastic grocery sack and say you can fill it for $5. You would be amazed how many books I can fit in one of those sacks! I also have a bookcase with all my cookbooks and another with craft books and magazines.

I'm not a fictional book collector because as soon as I read a book I pass it on. I have only kept a select few of my favorite books. A lot of the books on this shelf are parts of series that I'm collecting so I can read the whole series at once. Others are books I've picked up and thought I would like--I just haven't gotten around to reading them yet. Some of my favorite authors are Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs, and Sheryl Woods.

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate

2011-02-20T22:48:00.004-07:00

I thought quite a bit about this one. Yes, there are things I hate more than needles--like child abuse--but do you really want to see a picture of that? I decided to go with needles because it is one of the things that just gets to me. I can't watch when I (or anyone else) gets a shot. I didn't have blood drawn out of my arm until I was pregnant with Kinsey (30 years old)! I got a shot when I had the flu about 5 years ago and almost passed out at the doctors office. It's just one of those weird things that I hate.....

Day 10 - A picture of someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future

2011-02-14T17:19:00.002-07:00

Neal and I on our wedding day October 7, 2000

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

2011-02-13T13:10:00.002-07:00

This is my sister Melissa. She is the person I can go to and talk about anything. She's been with me through thick and thin! Love ya Melissa!

Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh

2011-02-10T20:45:00.001-07:00

Marley always makes me laugh but this picture is so funny!

Day 07 - A picture that shows your true self

2011-02-05T16:15:00.003-07:00

I've really had a hard time with this one because honestly....I'm still trying to find my true self. There are so many things that represent me now.....family, school books, my cameras, fictional books, and so much more. I guess I'm going to pick something that is near and dear to my heart and this project.

My cameras

I have a new little camera that I just bought recently to carry in my purse. The flash on my older camera broke and it would have cost $99 to get it fixed--worth more than the camera. I can still use my lenses for outdoor photography--what I wanted it for so now I have two cameras. One day I would love to have a nice DSLR camera but that will have to wait until later.

Day 6 - A picture of somewhere you've been

2011-01-22T16:41:00.002-07:00

We went to the Grand Canyon in the fall of 2003.

Day 5--a picture of your favorite memory

2011-01-21T17:41:00.001-07:00

the day Kinsey was born

Day 4--A picture of your night

2011-01-19T21:19:00.001-07:00

Stacked (or flat) red enchiladas for dinner

Day 3--A picture of the cast from your favorite show

2011-01-18T21:13:00.002-07:00

Big Bang Theory

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

2011-01-17T16:33:00.003-07:00

My Mom and I

30 Day Photo Assignment--Day 1

2011-01-16T16:18:00.005-07:00

I decided to try this photo assignment for 30 days. I'm not going to guarantee that it will be 30 days in a row but I will get it done eventually.

Day 1--a picture of yourself with 15 facts

I don't have a lot of photos of myself unless someone else takes them. Usually I'm the one behind the camera. This is a photo of myself with my wonderful, beautiful niece Marley. She will be 2 later this month and is such a sweet little girl.

Facts:
1. I love to take pictures
2. I am a full-time college student
3. I have a 9 (almost 10) year old daughter
4. I've been married for 10 years
5. I love to read
6. I wear the same watch and earrings every day
7. We have 2 cats and a dog
8. I have lived in 15 different houses/dorms/apartments
9. I'm 41 years old
10. This last year I found out that I love psychology classes
11. And that algebra wasn't as hard as I thought is was
12. My favorite food is Mexican
13. I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old
14. I like to organize other people but my house is cluttered
15. I drink Earl Grey tea every morning

Monetized

2011-01-10T12:21:00.003-07:00

See that little ad over there on the right hand top side of my blog and down below this post? Yep, I did it--I monetized my blog. Just hoping to add a few cents to the bank account for now. I hope it doesn't offend anyone. We'll see what comes up in the ads Blogger puts on here. Thanks to those who are still reading =)

It's a new year

2011-01-09T12:15:00.002-07:00

I can't believe how fast the last year flew by. It's like 2010 was smushed down to just a few months. I had so many changes in the last year--I started back to college, left my old job, and am staying home for now. I'm hoping to find a new job soon but I'm just not sure what I want to do. I live in a little tiny village with few opportunities and am not sure I want to drive 20 miles to the next town to work. Decisions, decisions.

I start my next semester of college next week. I think this will be the scariest one so far. I'm taking Intermediate Algebra, Intro to Business, Child Psychology, and Biology. Biology scares me to death. I struggled with it so much in high school. I'm hoping that by taking it online that it will be easier (open book tests!!). The other classes will be time consuming but not so bad.

Here's to a new year and a new semester!

End of Fall Semester 2010

2010-12-12T12:37:00.003-07:00

Yeah! It's the end of the semester and I've finished one year of school! I can't believe how fast this year has gone. I ended up with A's in all 4 classes this semester. As of now I have a 4.0 GPA. I'm hoping to get my Associates degree by May of 2012 if not sooner. After that, I hope to transfer to the main campus of ENMU and finish my Bachelors degree within one to two years. I can't believe how hard this has been but it is going to be so worth it in the end.

Final project for digital photography class

2010-12-02T13:08:00.003-07:00

I chose to do my final project of 8 pictures on historic Fort Stanton. I've taken a lot of pictures out there this semester and really enjoyed going back for my last project. Enjoy

the church

bench in front of the church

windows looking through the church

reflection in church window

front door of church and building number

flag pole in front of a cottage

windows to a building

silos and barns

and more Photography class photos

2010-11-14T10:51:00.004-07:00

I've been taking a lot of photos for my photography class. Here are a few samples of my recent work.

Silos at Fort StantonCross Cutout in Capitan

Piece of wood

Plumbing pipe in our front yard

Aspen trees against the beautiful blue sky

More photos....

2010-10-20T10:11:00.005-06:00

I have been out taking a lot of pictures for my photography class lately. I usually head out on Saturday or Sunday for a few hours and just look for things that will fit into that weeks assignment. Sometimes I have a specific idea of what I want to shoot and sometimes I just see where I end up. It's been fun but I'm dreading winter when I won't have much color or light to shoot. Here are a few pictures from the last 2 weeks.

Office to a cabin rental place in the Upper Canyon. Love the decorations!

The Aspens are changing colors and are beautiful. I love to hear the wisper of the leaves as the wind blows through them.

Old adobe/rock building in Lincoln, NM. Part of it is old and part is being rebuilt to show the size.

Pumpkins on my sister Melissa's front porch. I love the different colors and shapes in this picture. And yes, those are Corona bottles behind the pumpkin. My nephew set off colored smoke bombs in them to make them different colors.

Fort Stanton Merchant Marine and Military Cemetary. I had to show pattern for this picture.

Photography class

2010-10-05T13:35:00.004-06:00

I'm taking a photography class this semester and thought I would share some of my favorite photos so far.

Summer Semester 2010

2010-08-06T14:09:00.002-06:00

I guess we'll just shoot for one post a semester at this point. I finished up the summer semester last week and am just now recovering. I took Psychology 101 and ended up with a 98 or A! I loved that class and learned a lot from it. I also took Interpersonal Communications and received an A (not sure of the number grade). Not my favorite class but I got through it. Still maintaining my 4.0 GPA!

For the Fall 2010 semester I signed up for Adolescent Psychology, Marriage and The Family (both 1/2 semester classes--Fall I & II), Basic Computer Skills, and Digital Photography. I think I will enjoy the first 2 classes and they fit nicely with my degree plan. I feel silly taking a basic computer class since I majored in Computer Science the first time I went to college but everything I learned is pretty much obsolete and I have no idea how to do a PowerPoint presentation. I know this class will be informative and beneficial in the end. The digital photography class with meet my Art requirement and be an indulgence at the same time. I've always wanted to take a photography class so why not do it and get 3 credits out of it? I decided to take the two 1/2 semester classes so I can go full-time while only taking 3 classes at a time. Hopefully it will work out like I plan.

Kinsey starts school August 18th and will be in the 4th grade. I think she is ready to get back into the routine of school. She attended cheer camp this past week and really enjoyed it. Today was the last day. I will have to see if any of my pictures turned out and may add one later.

I hope everyone has a great "rest of the summer!"

One semester down

2010-06-05T18:22:00.000-06:00

I finished my first semester back to college with a 4.0 GPA! I really enjoyed my classes and realized I really do like to learn. I've signed up for 2 classes this summer (that start Monday) and 4 for the fall. I'm taking 2 full semester classes and 2 half semester classes--that way I'm only taking 3 classes at one time. This summer I'm taking Introduction to Psychology and Interpersonal Communications. For Fall I signed up for Intermediate Algebra, Basic Computer Skills, and my 2 half semester classes are Adolescent Psychology (this should come in handy the next few years LOL!) and Marriage and Family.

My projected graduation date for my Associated degree is Spring of 2012. Of course then I have to continue on to my Bachelors. I'm hoping to get all of this done in 4-5 years so I can get on with what I want to do.

I hope everyone has a fun and safe summer! I'll be doing homework ;-)